One of the biggest problems the security industry faces is our products are difficult to use.  I don't know of a single video management or access control product in the industry that is intuitive enough that the manual isn't an absolute necessity.  For that matter, I know of a number of cameras and card readers that also fail that test.  I also see a lot of  product that is so hard to install while you are standing on the top of a ladder that it is clear the engineer that did the design doesn't spend much time up there. When you think about the amount of wasted time that creates for installers and end users the cost is huge.  More importantly for folks like us that make a living off of this industry, the ease of use problem discourages adoption.  If the time and effort it takes to get comfortable with a new product is too great, people will stick with what they know (or do without). 

The reason for this sorry state of affairs is simple: making something easy takes a lot of hard work.  You have to think very carefully through what the user does and how it can be made simpler and more obvious.  That means being "close to the customer".  It also means having a management team that can define what easy means, and is willing to prioritize that work item on to the list of new features in a next release.  So it's more than just telling Engineering to make it easier.  Given the size of the average development team in the security industry, it means giving up some other new feature that is tied to a sales opportunity.

The solution to this dilemma requires two things: first, a development team that understands the design process needed to simplify a product.  Many existing teams can handle that assignment, and the remaining ones can do so with some outside help.  Second, and most importantly, senior management has to recognize and champion the sales growth and cost avoidance opportunities associated with a push to make products easier.  It's well worth giving up a feature or two.